Battle for Kobani continues

The town of Kobani on Turkish-Syrian border appeared calmer on Monday (October 20) after weeks of fierce fighting between Islamist militants and Kurdish rebels.

The U.S. military said it had made air-drops of arms to Syrian Kurds battling Islamic State near the Syrian town of Kobani, the first such delivery in more than a month of fighting and a move that could upset Turkey.

The U.S. Central Command said it had delivered weapons, ammunition and medical supplies to the Kurds who are trying to stave off an onslaught by Islamic State fighters who have overrun swathes of Syria and Iraq this year.

The main Syrian Kurdish group defending Kobani from the better armed Islamic State militants said on Monday the town had received "a large quantity" of ammunition and weapons.

Kobani, also known as Ayn al-Arab, is besieged by Islamic State fighters to the east, west and south and bordered to the north by Turkey. The Turkish government has turned down Syrian Kurdish requests